Thread: G'day folks...help with old english oak desk please.

Originally Posted by Woodwould

Oak is seldom treated to a glassy finish; that's normally the preserve of close grained timbers. Pictures probably won't clearly show the level of polish, but I'm tipping you're about there now.

Cut and wax grasshopper... wax on... wax off!

Yes sensai! But do I do another coat first to fill in where I've rubbed back..or straight to the oooo (dry, or with some wetting agent?) and wax? What waxes are suitable do you think?

Originally Posted by Lawry01

Yes sensai! But do I do another coat first to fill in where I've rubbed back..or straight to the oooo (dry, or with some wetting agent?) and wax? What waxes are suitable do you think?

Hmm, hard questios first! If you feel the surface has thinned out where you sanded back the runs, then a carefully applied coat is likely warranted. On the otherhand, if you skillfully rubbed back the dribbles and the surface looks tickety-boo, then go straight to 0000 and wax and do not pass 'Go'.

Well......I'm thinking a carefully applied coat might be warranted..just to be sure. Between you & WW, you certainly put the pressure on....phrases like 'skillfully rubbed back' tickety boo', and WW's earlier 'pristine surface' etc., I feel I need to eat a little humble pie and remind myself I've NEVER done this sort of work before..thus should be proud of my amateurish attempts!! (Hows that for pre-emptive rationalisation!)

Also, re oooo and wax..I've read in may places to wait 7 days before doing this...you're both seeming to suggest not to wait? Also, are you in favour of using oooo to apply and rub in the wax as well? Then, the question is which wx...like oils, I gather waxes ain't waxes!!

Originally Posted by Lawry01

Well......I'm thinking a carefully applied coat might be warranted..just to be sure. Between you & WW, you certainly put the pressure on....phrases like 'skillfully rubbed back' tickety boo', and WW's earlier 'pristine surface' etc., I feel I need to eat a little humble pie and remind myself I've NEVER done this sort of work before..thus should be proud of my amateurish attempts!! (Hows that for pre-emptive rationalisation!)

Also, re oooo and wax..I've read in may places to wait 7 days before doing this...you're both seeming to suggest not to wait? Also, are you in favour of using oooo to apply and rub in the wax as well? Then, the question is which wx...like oils, I gather waxes ain't waxes!!

The coats of polish have been built up over several days with time for each coat to sink... and, this isn't a high gloss situation, so I would give it about a day between final polish and wax. Our benefactor, U-Beaut sells wax that will do the job nicely. I think I mentioned it earlier and even the colour... I can't remember now, cedar colour?

Metho will grab water and hold it, causing bloom. Just a 100w light globe (old style) gives enough heat to prevent bloom. it needs to be turned on though.

Hi guys, sorry was away from the computer, in a meeting with the boss, who is going on leave for a few weeks and he wanted to discuss some work issues we are dealing with here. Hmn should be working so will try to keep it brief (sort of).

Re the cut of the mix between shellac flakes to meths. What I normally do, is start of with a slightly more viscous mix for the initial coats and as I work the polish levels up (number of coats), I thin the mixture down a little, such that the final coats of polish to be applied are definitely thinner than original. I have found that if you keep the mix too thick, for all coats it can actually give a surface that is not so conducive to doing the final polish/wax and as well the risk of runs in the polish can occur, and are then difficult to work out. But of course there in also lays the other risk that meths itself seems to draw in moisture and lead to the bloom problem.

Anyway i would say you should be on track by now. Hopefully with the last coats having been applied, for I think I probably would have wanted to apply a couple of quick coats after having cut back the bloom issue.

But after that yes you most definitely should be ready for 0000 and then wax (wax on wax off as WW says .

I only ever dry steel wool polish, have never used a cutting compound or lubricant. Again I would tend to agree with WW that oak normally doesn't have a high gloss, unless perhaps you are talking about say a piece from the 16C or 17C that has had hundreds of years of waxing. Hence if so, then using steel wool dipped into the wax and worked onto the surface and buffed off, should give you the desired finish. The alternative if you are not convinced is again perhaps trying either approach (steel wool polish and then wax/buff off as well as dipping the steel wool into the wax and polishing before buffing off) on a surface not readily seen, if that is possible to see which you like best.

Re: time frames, no I don't believe 7 day waiting to polish up should be needed, 24 hours should be sufficient given how you have applied the polish and your climate up north.

Re: what sort of wax polish, I use a product which most antique restorers down here in Hobart seem to use. It is called Old McDonalds Antique wax polish. However, I am sure the ubeaut products also are excellent. I just havn't tried them to date. The one though you do want is a polish that readily rubs into the surface and easily buffs off. In the past I have tried waxes that are horrid to apply and even worse to buff off. I you get something like that don't perserve with it, it will drive you nuts.

Whether you go for clear or coloured wax is to an extent probably not hugely critical, as both should work fine. The point is that the natural colour of the oak, coupled with the shellac polish should have given you a really lovely colour to work with.

Rustynail..your wisdom about light globes being turned on is awe inspiring!!
HC & WW, yup...just did a final 2 coats to fill in where I rubbed back, and now will wait a day or two to burninsh with oooo, then .......YAY!! Wax on...wax off!!!!!! and finally, re-fit hinges, locks etc. and hope it all still fits! And yes..I actually am quite impressed with the colour achieved so far!

Originally Posted by Lawry01

Rustynail..your wisdom about light globes being turned on is awe inspiring!!

It's like a light just went on!

Originally Posted by Woodwould

It's like a light just went on!

The light of enlightenment! So, really..this forum IS a front for a cult then!??

Originally Posted by Lawry01

The light of enlightenment! So, really..this forum IS a front for a cult then!??

Now hang on a minute. I like to think we are enthusiast.

Originally Posted by Woodwould

It's like a light just went on!

Some years ago, while working on the construction of Maquarie University, I had the pleasure of supervising two Irish chippies. One answered to Black and the other insisted his name was White. They were from opposite ends of the Emerald Isle and bickered endlessly. Yet they still managed to work together. One morning Mr Black was going to go down to the lower floor so Mr White asked him to plug in the extension lead while he was down there. Mr Black obligingly agreed. Upon his return he was confronted by Mr White, demanding to know why his request had not been carried out. Mr Black, quick to his own defence, insisted that he had plugged it in as requested. Mr White asked if he had turned it on. To which Mr Black responded by stating he wasn't asked to.
as I was aware of one Irishman involved in this thread and not being privy to the origins of others, I thought it best to take the necessary precaution.

Hi Lawry - doing a great job.

How good is the help and advice? And we all benefit from it.

I saw this this morning, and thought you might like it, and maybe WW+HO might having something to say about it.

Peter Gedrys ... at a seminar/convention ... the man loves shellac.
(Beware 53mins. I hadn't planned to watch it all. Wrong.)
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xErUsgT7f4M]Finishing Seminar with Peter Gedrys - YouTube[/ame]

Cheers,
Paul.

Thanks Paul....yup, I am so impressed by how everyone's advice and generous time has helped here. I've actually been raving to heaps of people about this forum, as I am a member of a couple of others, still very good, but this is awesome. From WW & HC particularly, I reckon I have learned the equivalent of 6 months at TAFE!! (Yes I know WW....result is in the 'pudding'!) I also reckon its great that so many others can benefit (I wonder just how many have been lurking here??)

Will check out the youtube clip when our exchange upgrades to ADSL2!! We're a bit on the cusp of civilization here at Mt. cotton..being held to ransom by our major telecomms providor! 53 minutes will take me a couple of hours to view!

Schedule at this stage is...tomorow afternoon rub back with oooo, have another go at cleaning the leather (whats the strongest yet safe approach you reckon I should use on it, given its poor condittion?) then start waxing the whole baby, and stand back in awe for a short while.

an interesting, informative and entertaining thread indeed .... and though too modest to say so himself, I will state that Monsieur WoodWould is among the best restorers I have seen. But not only that, he is an exceptional maker as illustrated by these, which he made with his own hands.